Update: Cyberbullying Increases Eating Disorder Risk

Vol. 29 / No. 6 — Eating Disorders Review

Studies of nonclinical samples have shown an association between cyberbullying and negative emotions, low self-esteem, unhealthy eating behaviors, and body dissatisfaction.  Psychologist J.H. Marco and a team of researchers from the University of Valencia, Spain, took this a step further, to test the association among a sample of patients with diagnoses of eating disorders, and a second group at high risk of developing an eating disorder (Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw.2018; 21:611).  In the first study, 80 participants with eating disorders (41.2% with bulimia nervosa criteria; 33.8% with anorexia nervosa-restrictive type criteria, and 25% with eating disorders not otherwise specified criteria). In the second study, the sample included 156 male and female elite athletes.  In both studies, cyberbullying correlated with depression and eating disorder psychopathology. These findings underscore the impact of cyberbullying and possible links to development of disordered eating.